Northern Territory National Parks

There are not many places left in the world that offer a magnificent, remote natural environment to wander and explore. Australia's Northern Territory is one such place.

Visit National Parks, see ancient aboriginal art and habitat sites, go bird watching, photograph some amazing creatures in their natural habitat, or just soak up the silence.

The Northern Territory occupies an area of about 1,364,000 km2, or about one-sixth of Australia's land area. Within this area, the Territory includes three of Australia's largest islands - Groote Eylandt, Bathurst Island and Melviille Island, and very many smaller islands. The Territory coastline totals about 13,500 km.

Barranyi (North Island) National Park - Barranyi (North Island) National Park lies within the Sir Edward Pellew group of islands around 30km from the mouth of the McArthur River and Carrington Channel entrances (refer to marine chart AUST 305).

Charles Darwin National Park - This Park protects part of the Port Darwin wetland, one of Australia's most significant wetlands. It protects locally significant woodlands too. Port Darwin is recognised as a nationally significant wetland because it is large, (48 sq. km) and diverse. Thirty six of the Northern Territory's 51 mangrove species occur in its convoluted system of inlets, islands and bays.

Barranyi (North Island) National Park - Barranyi (North Island) National Park lies within the Sir Edward Pellew group of islands around 30km from the mouth of the McArthur River and Carrington Channel entrances (refer to marine chart AUST 305).

Davenport Range National Park - The proposed Davenport Range National Park encompasses 1120 sq. km of the Davenport Range, and is bordered by the pastoral leases of Elkedra, Kurundi, Murray Downs, and Singleton Stations and the Anurrete Aboriginal Land Trust.

Elsey National Park - The serene Roper River begins it's life within the boundaries of the 13,840 hectare Elsey National Park. Numerous springs within the park feed the Roper River which, in the "dry season" (April - September), flows gently through large waterholes and the tumbles over rocks and tufa dams.

Finke Gorge National Park - covers an area of 46,000 hectares, and includes the impressive Palm Valley. Palm Valley is home to a diverse range of plant species many of which are rare and unique to the area, including the Red Cabbage Palm for which the Park is well known.

Garig Gunak Barlu National Park - Garig Gunak Barlu National Park is pronounced Gah-rig Goon-uk Bar-loo. It was previously known as Gurig National Park and Cobourg Marine Park.

Gregory National Park - Gregory National Park covers an area of around 13,000 square km in the transition zone between tropical and semi-arid regions of the Northern Territory.

Kakadu National Park is probably one of the world's most well known National Parks. Almost 20,000 square kilometres in size (the same size as Denmark or Ireland!) the park is almost three hours drive (257 kilometres) east from Darwin.

Keep River National Park - Located 468 kilometres west of Katherine alongside the NT/WA border, Keep River National Park is noted for its striking landforms. Visitors to the park are provided with excellent opportunities for bushwalking, photography and the chance to learn about geological events that have shaped this landscape.

Kings Canyon National Park - Most of Watarrka’s visitors come to view the spectacular Kings Canyon with its towering vertical walls and pockets of ‘lush’ vegetation protected in sheltered gullies amidst the vast and harsh desert that surrounds the Park.

Litchfield National Park - Litchfield National Park protects good examples of most of the Top End habitats. It also features numerous waterfalls which cascade from a sandstone plateau called the Tabletop Range, intriguing magnetic termite mounds, historical sites, and the weathered sandstone pillars of the Lost City.

Limmen National Park - In order to protect the natural and cultural values of the Gulf region and to provide access to tourism sites for visitors travelling the gulf track between Queensland and the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Government has established a National Park in the Region.

The Mary River National Park (proposed) protects a part of the Mary River Catchments. Freshwater billabongs, paperbark and monsoon forests provide visitors with excellent opportunities for wildlife watching, fishing, bushwalking and photography.

Nitmiluk National Park - This 292,008 hectare National Park is owned by the Jawoyn Aboriginal people and jointly managed with the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory. Some of the parks features include spectacular dissected sandstone country, broad valleys and numerous, significant cultural sites.

West McDonnell National Park - Spanning a massive 220km west of Alice Springs these mountains form an issolated, narrow range. The Larapinta Trail (still under construction) crosses its entire width from the Alice Springs Telegraph Station west to Mount Razorback and is open only during the cool winter months.